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Probably stirring the pot, but I remember a few months ago this thread was swarming with fans of Barcelona and Real Madrid. Just wanna point out how quiet it is round here now that the aforementioned clubs have had below-par seasons...

Probably stirring the pot, but I remember a few months ago this thread was swarming with fans of Barcelona and Real Madrid. Just wanna point out how quiet it is round here now that the aforementioned clubs have had below-par seasons...

Yeah probably one big kick to the system to realize that both teams are not doing well. Barca might of won the league but they did so against a poor Madrid team this season and a not so ready atletico Madrid team. Both got embarrassed in europe and madrid lost to Atletico in the copa de rey. I wouldn't rule them out though both them know their weaknesses and why they failed this season so probably be back stronger.

Holy balls, caught the tail end of Borussia Dortmund versus Hoffenheim, in which Hoffenheim needed to win and hope that Augsburg or Fortuna Dusseldorf lose to avoid direct relegation. And talk about one refereeing decision defining a club's fate, Dortmund were leading 1-0 up until about the eightieth minute when they conceded a penalty and had their keeper red carded, Hoffenheim then proceded to score it and then score again to make it 1-2. Dusseldorf were down 3-0 so Hoffenheim would remarkably avoid direct relegation.

Then enter stoppage time and ten man Dortmund throw everyone including their keeper forward for a free kick, which results in a goal! Or was it offside? It seems to have been given, but then the referee and the linesman consult for what must have been at least a minute before eventually ruling that Dortmund's goal doesn't stand, and replays seem to show a correct decision was made. But boy, imagine if there was no consultation, that one decision could have sent a club down and changed their entire future. So considering that the decision (from the replay I saw) seemed right, the officials really need props, because all you ever hear is people slagging them off when they do things wrong but rarely do they get a compliment for doing things right. Dusseldorf ended up going down. The humorous thing is Hoffenheim could still go down, they face a relegation play-off, today just meant they escaped it directly. Definitely one of the more exciting ends to a game I've seen recently.

Though speaking of important games, tomorrow we've got Arsenal at Newcastle, so hopefully we can get a win there. Considering their recent home record it should be more than possible, but I have bad memories of that place...

Norwich City's Chief Executive David McNally said that football needs video technology inside the penalty box and not just goal line technology and I agree with him. I know I'm being biased towards Norwich, but there have been a fair few big decisions (penalties at West Ham, Sunderland and Arsenal to name a few) go against us which could have relegated us. By having penalty box technology we can see if a player has dived, committed a handball or fouled another player which would create a much fairer game.

As a Walsall fan I hope Spurs qualify for the CL because then Wenger will leave and Arsenal will spend money, if Arsenal do win then Wenger will stay and Arsenal will sell all their best players, lose all of their games and qualify for the CL as they seem to do every season.

As to what once, it now is. For this my retirement tour, let us commence, forevermore, forevermore.

Probably stirring the pot, but I remember a few months ago this thread was swarming with fans of Barcelona and Real Madrid. Just wanna point out how quiet it is round here now that the aforementioned clubs have had below-par seasons...

So yet again we've got another undeserving 4 CL qualifiers. When will a football team from England qualify for the CL? (Spurs, Everton Etc. Etc.) I really, really detest Arsenal because they're so undeserving, they sell all their best players, lose practically all their matches it seems then somehow qualify for it anyway whereas good teams like Spurs and Everton are relegated to the Europa League in which the winner of that would be a Champions League miscarriage anyway so what's the point?

As to what once, it now is. For this my retirement tour, let us commence, forevermore, forevermore.

Um, I'm not an Arsenal fan (far from it) but how does selling their best players have anything to do with them deserving qualification or not?

If anything, they should be commended for constantly producing pro players out of unknown youth, unlike some other teams that just buy players.

It's not just that (if you read my post) but the fact that they're so bad, they're just terrible, Wenger's losing his grip on the game, so I just want Arsenal to deservedly not qualify for once so Wenger can get kicked out.

As to what once, it now is. For this my retirement tour, let us commence, forevermore, forevermore.

It's not just that (if you read my post) but the fact that they're so bad, they're just terrible, Wenger's losing his grip on the game, so I just want Arsenal to deservedly not qualify for once so Wenger can get kicked out.

I disagree with that, yes Arsenal didn't have the season of challenging for the title but I'd say Wenger just needs to address our dire need for a world class player or two as I believe our squad is average at best and a far cry from 'The Invincibles' but we are now in a better position to do that. Arsenal have got the funds to go out and buy these players we need. Maybe this time next year your claims will be more vindicated. Also the league table doesn't lie and we deserved to finish 4th based on the teams performance espeically after collecting 26 out of a possible 30 points after losing the North London derby.

So another season has come and gone. As far as seasons go it hasn't been fantastic what with the title race being (realistically) over weeks ago. Usually we at least have the relegation fight to make the last few games exciting but even that was disappointing and almost non-existent this year. Out of the three teams relegated only Wigan showed spirit.

So yet again we've got another undeserving 4 CL qualifiers. When will a football team from England qualify for the CL? (Spurs, Everton Etc. Etc.) I really, really detest Arsenal because they're so undeserving, they sell all their best players, lose practically all their matches it seems then somehow qualify for it anyway whereas good teams like Spurs and Everton are relegated to the Europa League in which the winner of that would be a Champions League miscarriage anyway so what's the point?

Sigh where to begin..... First off when it becomes to playing football Arsenal are have been over the last five years easily the best team in the country for that and where that get us?

Spurs and everton can't be called good teams in the context that they are better than arsenal. Spurs are a one man team (remember last season when Arsenal were one and got slated for it by everyone so why is this seasons spurs team so different) and without bale would of not got over 60 points and everton don't play the best football style.

Yes we sell our best players but we still make it into the top four. Really we are the only team that purposely handicaps ourselves every season though hopefully this summer will be different. Also remember spur had a 7 point lead after beating us yet they still finished below us so why should a team that can't keep a seven point league be higher up the table than one that can overcome a seven point difference. And when talking bout undeserving you didn't mention that man city and Chelsea both bought their way into the top four while united play to win football and often have ref decisions go their way.

Yes we sell our best players but we still make it into the top four. Really we are the only team that purposely handicaps ourselves every season though hopefully this summer will be different. Also remember spur had a 7 point lead after beating us yet they still finished below us so why should a team that can't keep a seven point league be higher up the table than one that can overcome a seven point difference. And when talking bout undeserving you didn't mention that man city and Chelsea both bought their way into the top four while united play to win football and often have ref decisions go their way.

*Jumps in*
While I do agree that money has played a huge part in City's and (to a lesser extent) Chelsea's success in recent years, I will say I don't think it's fair to put some of United's success down to refereeing decisions. Match officials make mistakes and every team will benefit from them at one point or another.
*Jumps out*

And when talking bout undeserving you didn't mention that man city and Chelsea both bought their way into the top four while united play to win football and often have ref decisions go their way.

If you are talking about refereeing decisions not going Arsenal's way, you have got to be joking. When you beat us (Norwich) 3-1, the refereeing was a joke. Your penalty shouldn't have stood plus the 2nd was a foul on Bassong and the third was offside/foul on the defender. If you hadn't won this, Spurs would be fourth.

I do like Arsenal and wanted them to finish fourth, but refereeing decisions only going to United is a naive point of view. Ultimately, you had more points than Spurs so you deserved fourth. Arsenal have a good chance to improve next year due to the uncertainty around the top clubs new managers so Wenger needs to spend to take advantage of this.

Ok so maybe going with man united and refs was probably not the best option but as I was trying to highlight the top four don't actually consist of the teams that play the best football rather the teams that know how to win games. Its been fergies greatest weapon on making a team that can win a game while not playing that well especially against a team that is playing good football.

Also Tony Pulis has left Stoke city. It will be interesting to see what happens to the club and what he will do next.

If one of those penalty claims were given for Spurs, it would have put huge pressure on Arsenal. In saying that Arsenal deserved to finish 4th because they didn't lose at home to a team like Fulham at the business end of the season